The invention relates to a construction vehicle with a working appliance, in particular a blade, which is mounted on a carrier such that it can pivot about a vertical axis, the carrier being mounted on the vehicle frame such that it can be pivoted in the vertical direction about a horizontal axis, it being possible for the pivoting movements to be carried out by means of hydraulic devices.
The construction vehicle can have a chassis with caterpillar tracks or with tired wheels. If it is a vehicle with caterpillar tracks, then it is generally necessary to transport said vehicle to the respective building site on a low-loader. Construction vehicles provided with wheels can also themselves be driven to the building sites, although this is normally inexpedient. Thus, construction vehicles with wheels are likewise transported on low-loaders, depending on the distances to be managed. During such transport, the width of the working appliance plays a major part. For example, it occurs again and again that the working appliance, for example a blade with a length which exceeds the vehicle width, has too great a width, so that it has to be dismantled before being transported and subsequently refitted. This entails a great deal of effort.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,523 discloses not only the construction vehicle with a blade described at the beginning, but also already provides for the blade exceeding the vehicle width to be attached to the carrier with a vertical axis off-center, at a lateral distance from the longitudinal mid-plane of the vehicle, so that the blade can be pivoted about this vertical axis into a transport position, in which the blade is located within the vehicle width, without a carrier that extends excessively far forward or a vertical axis arranged at a relatively large distance in front of the vehicle having to be provided for the blade. The distance between the vertical axis and the longitudinal mid-plane of the vehicle cannot be varied, however. This means that during operation asymmetrical force distributions occur and have to be absorbed, which has the effect of promoting wear.
Accordingly, the invention is based on the object of constructing the construction vehicle in such a way that the width can be adapted for transport without disadvantages in operation having to be tolerated for this purpose.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by the vertical axis about which the working appliance can be pivoted being adjustable in the lateral direction between a vertical longitudinal mid-plane running through the vehicle longitudinal axis and a longitudinal plane running at a distance from and parallel to the longitudinal mid-plane.
Although U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,044 discloses a construction vehicle in which the blade is attached to the carrier with a vertical axis arranged in the longitudinal mid-plane of the vehicle, and this axis can be deflected in the transverse direction, in this case the vertical axis is not displaced in parallel fashion but is only tilted toward the side, the axis being held at a lower point by means of a spherical joint in the longitudinal mid-plane and being pivoted out laterally in an upper region. This measure is used for the purpose of adjusting the blade, normally aligned horizontally, in a transverse plane into an oblique position. This has nothing to do with adapting the width for transport purposes.
On the basis of the construction according to the invention, it is possible to change the attachment point of the working appliance for transport purposes. For example, it may be displaced toward the side in such a way that the working appliance can be pivoted on the construction vehicle to a greater extent than hitherto. In order that the position of the pivoting axis for the operating appliance can be moved from its central working position into the lateral transport position, provision is further made for the component serving as a carrier for the working appliance to be mounted on the vehicle side such that it can be pivoted. By this means, a pivoting radius which virtually corresponds to the length of the carrier itself can be achieved. The result of this is that, for example, a blade may be set extremely obliquely in relation to the vehicle longitudinal direction, in spite of direct fixing to the construction vehicle, and as a result needs less space in the width direction.
Further features of the invention emerge from the subclaims and the description in conjunction with the drawing.